Page Nine

Saturday, August 14, 2010

David Schweikert will carry the most cash into the final stretch of the Republican primary for Congressional District 5, but the former Maricopa County treasurer said he is so confident about winning the GOP nomination that he’ll save most of his war chest for the general election.

Schweikert reported having $225,000 in cash on hand in his Aug. 12 report to the Federal Election Commission, and most of it is available for the primary if he needs it, he said. About $38,000 is from max donors whose contributions can’t be used in the primary. But Schweikert spokesman Oliver Schwab said the campaign is so confident about winning the five-way primary that Schweikert cut his ad buys in half on Aug. 11, slashing his weekly television budget from $12,000 to $6,000 and his radio buys from $14,000 to about $7,000.

“We are so far ahead in the polls that we’ve cut all of our ad buys in half,” Schwab said. Schwab said internal polling shows Schweikert with in insurmountable lead against Ward, former Scottsdale City Councilwoman Susan Bitter Smith and Dr. Chris Salvino, though he would not discuss the specific polling numbers. Schweikert said the race for the GOP nomination is essentially over, based on polling and estimated early ballot returns.

Schwab said Schweikert’s campaign is better off saving its money for the general election matchup with incumbent Democratic Rep. Harry Mitchell, who reported raising $1.5 million in his bid for a third term in Congress. Mitchell reported more than $800,000 in cash on hand.